AARON CRAWCOUR- SARAH ANNE BUSHELL-LAURANCE

[phillip]

For my Crawcour distant relatives including the Bushell/Laurance lines via Sarah Anne Bushell nee Laurance I have new data on Aaron Crawcour son of David Crawcour. The 1854 trial of Aaron Crawcour for gold bullion theft shows on copies of the original indictment that he had already served imprisonment for theft but under the alias of John Williams. The previous prison sentence was in Newgate for 2 years 6 April 1840.
A search of the Old Bailey Trials online indicates that there was a John Williams age 26 who was transported for 7 years- however Aaron Crawcour was born in 1818 and died in 1901 Melbourne having changed his name to Charles Lawrence/Laurance after marrying Sarah Anne Laurance nee Bushell.
The later trial in 1854 for theft contains some important data which is confusing including reference to a prison sentence of 2 years hard labour and later reference to 7 years transportation for Aaron Crawcour.
Further research is needed to confirm that John Williams in 1840 and Aaron Crawcour in 1854 are one in the same.
I hold a set of copies from the National Archives UK which are from the original trial indictment if any distant relatives are interested.
It is also possible that Aaron Crawcour alias John Williams alias Charles Laurance/Lawrence used other alias and served further sentences.
Phillip

[phillip]

The following data is a follow up to clarify the relationships between Aaron Crawcour alias Charles Lawrence/Laurance; Sarah Ann Bushell and her son Charles Edward Bushell. Although there are several family trees on the Sarah Ann Bushell and her son Charles Edward Bushell none of them have sought to look at the original sources which indicate the relationship to Aaron Crawcour. This data is based on census and other primary sources:
I will identify the various records in turn- first of all the Australian Marriage Records Index record; Sarah Anne LAWRENCE marriage to Aaron CRAWCOUR Victoria 1870 Reg No 2549 with an additional inclusion of Sarah's name spelt LAURANCE.
The Australian Birth records Index show David LAURANCE father Charles LAURANCE mother Sarah Ann Bushell Born Melbourne Victoria 1865. David's death is recorded as David LAWRENCE Victoria age 2 father: AARON and Mother Sarah. Other records include the death of Amelia Taylor Malvern Victoria 89 1952 father Charles LAURANCE mother Sarah Bushell and death Catherine LAURANCE Richmond Victoria 1913 age 54 father Charles LAURANCE and mother Sarah Bushell. I have posted on this thread and elsewhere that Aaron and Charles Lawrence/Laurance were one in the same and there is also the marriage of Sarah Ann Bushell to Henry Lawrence June Qtr 1853 Thanet 2a 927. A researcher has kindly posted data on this marriage which indicates Henry Stephen Lawrence Agricultural labourer -father Thomas marrying Sarah -father Peter Bushell.
I have looked at Free BMD plus the London Marriage Banns and Marriages and can see no marriage for a Charles Frederick Laurance/Lawrence/Lawrance which family trees have cited as the marriage of Sarah in London in 1857. I would also question whether or not such a marriage ever occurred and would welcome confirmation of an original record. I would also welcome any one confirming the census record of Henry and his father Thomas in 1841-1851 because as yet I cannot identify it. Unfortunately no dob is given for Henry on his marriage.
The record for Sarah A Bushell and her son Charles Edward Bushell appears in the 1851 Census HO107 16 23 220 6 ( Crown Copyright, TNA) at Bridges Union Workhouse Kent- Sarah is age 23 Unmarried b Kent Ickham and Charles Edward age 2 was born in the workhouse.
I will add the census records of Peter Bushell and his son Thomas Bushell later because Charles Edward was to live with his uncle Thomas and later marry Sarah Ann Bushell daughter of Thomas and emigrate to USA.
Phillip

[Kerrywood]

there is also the marriage of Sarah Ann Bushell to Henry Lawrence June Qtr 1853 Thanet 2a 927. A researcher has kindly posted data on this marriage which indicates Henry Stephen Lawrence Agricultural labourer -father Thomas marrying Sarah -father Peter Bushell.

FamilySearch (extracted from the parish register of St Peter, Thanet) has slightly different data ...

Groom: Henry Lawrence
Bride: Sarah Ann Bushell
Date: 10 Apr 1853
Place: St. Peter, Kent
Groom's Father: John Lawrence
Bride's Father: Peter Bushell

I'll search the census later, unless somebody else does it first.

[phillip]

Many thanks for the summary data on the marriage. I have looked on the 1851 Census using the combination of Henry Lawrence and father John for the Kent area but can see no likely names but this assumes Henry was living with his parents and his father John was alive. By circa 1865 Sarah was in Australia as the birth of her son David in 1865 indicates.
The 1861 Census RG9 518 150 11 ( Crown Copyright,TNA) records:
Peter Bushell H M 58 Agricultural Labourer b Ickham;Elizabeth Bushell wife 58 b Ash;Harriet Bushell dau 13 b Ickham;Charles E Bushell son 12 Ag Labourer
Charles E Bushell is the illigitimate son of Sarah suggesting that she had left him with her parents and may have gone to Australia pre 1861 census.
Phillip

[Kerrywood]

I have looked on the 1851 Census using the combination of Henry Lawrence and father John for the Kent area but can see no likely names but this assumes Henry was living with his parents and his father John was alive.

Possible 1841 census, but some of the ages are obscured ...
HO107/468/6 folio 5 page 2
Fullers Cottages, St John the Baptist, Margate
John Lawrence 29 Labourer Y
Louisa Lawrence 22 Y
William Lawrence ? Y
Henry Lawrence ? Y
Emma Lawrence 2 (?) Y
Louiza Lawrence 1 Y

There's a BUSHELL family on the facing page, though not that of Peter BUSHELL.

The equivalent 1851 for this LAWRENCE family appears to be HO107/1629 folio 516 page 1. Henry is not present. There are several possible candidates for Henry living separately from his family in 1851.
(records held by TNA, Crown copyright)

By circa 1865 Sarah was in Australia as the birth of her son David in 1865 indicates.

I'm probably being a bit slow here, but I don't understand why you think this Sarah Ann BUSHELL who married Henry LAWRENCE in Kent in 1853 was the one who went to Australia.

Assuming your Sarah died in Australia, what does her death certificate say about her origins?

[phillip]

I have already posted data on the records relating to Sarah but as a recap her death record Australian Death Index;
Sarah Ann Lawrance Kew Victoria age 76 Parents; Peter Bushell; Elizabeth Petley Death 1905 Victoria Reg No 5849 Est Birth Year 1829. She is buried with her father in Melbourne Cemetery. One of my distant cousins in Melbourne has copies of the various records plus the Cemetery Records and photographs of the graves. My reference to the various records posted comes from my own access to one of the major pay sites plus the data from my cousin all of which are based on primary sources.
The main reason for my posting again is to see what other family records might exist on Sarah and Aaron via relatives of Sarah and in particular her son Charles Edward Bushell. I was contacted via this site by a relative of Charles recently but my request for confirmation of data went unanswered so my hope is that other relatives may respond.
Phillip

[Kerrywood]

Thanks for the explanation.

[helachau]

Reporting Aaron's trial, The Morning Chronicle, 14 July 1853, recorded the Judge's summing up which included "... and if a former conviction had been proved against him, he should have felt it his duty to transport him for a very long period; however, as that was not so, he had only power to imprison him, which he should do for the longest period the law allowed, namely two years, and he accordingly passed that sentence on the prisoner"

Reporting Aaron's father's appearance in Court, The Morning Chronicle, 24 August 1853, recorded "Mr David Crawcour, surgeon, of Windsor Terrace, city Road, again appeared upon his recognizance charged with having harboured and assisted his son, Aaron Crawcour, who stands convicted and sentenced to seven years transportation for having been concerened in the gold dust robbery on board the Lady Flora, Australian Vessel".

So, was a "former conviction proved" between the two dates above to cause the change in sentence?

[phillip]

The original copies of the trial I hold show Aaron received 2 years and his father had no charge against him.
Phillip

[phillip]

The following USA Census returns show Charles Edward Bushell also known as Laurance/Lawrence son of Sarah Ann Bushell/Laurance/Lawrence with his family in the 1880 US Federal Census Record Russell Big Creek Kansas ( Copyright, The NA Gov USA)- Big Creek County Township County of Russell Kansas District 3 P22 Enumeration District 287 Image 0610
He had dropped his first name of Charles:
Edward LAWRENCE W M 31 farmer b England ( Parents English)
Sarah LAWRENCE wife W M 26 Keeping House b England ( Parents English)
Charles LAWRENCE son 3 W b Kansas
Flora LAWRENCE dau 1 b Kansas

Another daughter Catherine Amelia Laurance 1890-1983 was to be born later and her married name was Watkins.

Following the death of Charles Edward in a railway accident- he was a coal miner Osage Kansas- Sarah re- married to Walter Langden:
1900 US Federal Census ( Copyright The NA USA Gov) Roll 494 P11B Enumeration District 123 Osage Kansas
Walter Langden H WB b England 1860 Coalminer Year of Immigration 1885
Sarah Langden W Wife 45 b England b April 1855 Year of Immigration 1875
Charles Laurance stepson W b 1877 Kansas coal miner
Carries A Laurance step dau b June 1890 Kansas

I am searching records to identify if Charles Edward went to Australia and similarly when his mother Sarah immigrated to Australia.
Phillip